1. Field of the Invention
the present invention relates generally to container holders and particularly to adjustable holders
2. Background of the Invention
The present invention is a holder for containers that is inexpensive, lightweight, thin, portable, compact, reusable, easy to clean, and adaptable to different sizes and shapes of containers. The holder can support containers in upright, inclined, or inverted positions on level, non-level, solid and liquid surfaces.
The present invention is particularly useful for the elderly, disabled, and young children where a container can easily be tipped over and cause a messy spill. The present invention is also ideal for consumers that use containers while outdoors or while playing in the water, such as a swimming pool or a lake, where there are limited flat surfaces upon which to place a container.
The following similar prior art references are cited and compared to the present invention:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,963,256 to Borah describes an article retainer that provides similar functionality to the present invention, but does not have the capability of laying flat when not in use, nor does it support containers in inclined positions, nor does it provide features for holding containers on non-flat surfaces because the invention relies on suction to hold the container to a flat surface. The invention also does not support containers on liquid surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,611 to Henderson describes a one piece container holder that does not lay flat when not in use. It is designed for a specific sized container and does not adapt to various container widths or shapes and it does not support containers on liquid surfaces.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,028,023 and 5,195,706 to Allen describe a one piece container holder that does not lay flat when not in use. It does not address supporting containers in inclined positions, nor does not support containers on liquid surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,673 to Chandler does not address supporting containers in inclined positions, nor does it support containers on liquid surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,380 to Risca describes a fixed structure that does not lay flat when not in use, nor does it have the capability for holding containers in inclined positions or on liquid surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,064 to Sapien describes a holder for preventing spills, but it is a fixed structure that does not lay flat when not in use and it does not support containers on liquid surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,082 to Chang describes similar functionality to the present invention, but it does not lay flat when not in use and does not support holding containers in inclined positions or on liquid surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,290 to Aleman does not lay flat when not in use and it does not support containers on liquid surfaces and it requires an additional external structure to which the holder is attached.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,167 to Kaupp does not support containers in inclined positions, nor does it lay flat when not in use and it does not support containers on liquid surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,764,053 to Han does not provide support for containers in inclined positions and it does not support containers on liquid surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,765 to Lozano provides only for fixed size containers and requires assembly before it can be used. It is designed to be disposable and therefore not durable or reusable and it does not support containers on liquid surfaces.
Many container holders that are available in the marketplace, and that are heretofore known, suffer from one or more of the following disadvantages:    the holder is constructed of permanently rigid material, making the holder unable to lay flat when not in use,    the holder is not capable of holding containers in all of the following positions: upright, inclined and inverted positions,    the holder does not grip the container sufficiently to prevent the container from slipping out while in an inclined position,    the holder is not buoyant and does not have the capability to support a container on a liquid surface,    the holder is constructed of many smaller parts that are relatively expensive to manufacture, assemble, and package,    the holder is not easily cleanable or requires special cleaning materials,    the holder cannot accommodate different sized and shaped containers.